Ethics - Christianity and Equality

Question 1.

Name the three main Christian approaches to other religions.

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Answer 1.

1.) Approach 1 - The only way to God is through Christ. "I am the way and the truth and the life. No-one comes to the father except through me" - Missionaries in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries trying to convert foreigners. Nowadays missionaries just go to help and use their religion to do so not to convert.

2.) Approach 2 - There are many religious paths to God, but Christianity is the real one. Other religious people who believe in God (Hindus, Muslims and Jews) are all really "anonymous Christians - They are Christians really but don't know it. Will still go to Heaven.

3.) Approach 3 - All religions are equal - All concentrate on "spiritual reality" but some call this God. All religious books (including the Bible) have part truth, but no religion has the complete truth

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Question 2.

Does Christianity promote or condem racism? Give examples.

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Answer 2.

Christianity condems rasism as it teaches that God created all human beings in his images as free and equal individuals.

"Love your neighbour as yourself" - Look after your neighbours, whoever they are

The Story of the Good Samaritan - All people are neighbours

"If you show favouratism, you sin" - Everyone is equal and you should treat them as such

However although Christianity teaches to condem rasism, there are instances where they have promoted it such as the Dutch Reformed Church in South Africa who supported the discrimination of black people during the years of Apartheid. Also in the 50's when African-Caribbean Christians came to England they were not welcomed

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Question 3.

Which Churches do allow women to become priests/vicars?

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Answer 3.

The Church of England, Baptist and Methodist churches allow women to be vicars/priests/ministers. The Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches have not even considered it.

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Question 4.

What reasons would some Christians give for women being allowed to become priests/vicars?

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Answer 4.

1.) Although Jesus didn't have women disiples, he did have followers and friends who turned out to be more loyal towards him than his disiples (especially Judas) were.

2.) Jesus spoke to a Samaritan woman in public; breaking a strong taboo.

3.) In Jesus' times culture and society dictated many ideas about women. Roles of women in society has changed and so should the roles of women in church.

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Question 5.

What arguments are given by some Christians against women being priests/vicars in church?

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Answer 5.

1.) As with many things about church, it is tradition that men are the people who lead the congregation.

2.) Jesus had no women disiples.

3.) According to Genesis, God made man before woman, indicating that women should be subservient and although God loves everyone equally, he gave the two genders different roles.

4.) St Paul said "man is head of the woman, as Jesus is head of the church" and didn't let women to play any public part in the churches he set up.